''Science Fiction Adventures'' was an American digest-size

science fiction magazine A science fiction magazine is a publication that offers primarily science fiction, either in a hard-copy periodical format or on the Internet. Science fiction magazines traditionally featured speculative fiction in short story, novelette, nove ...

, published from 1956 to 1958 by Irwin Stein's Royal Publications as a companion to ''

Infinity Science Fiction ''Infinity Science Fiction'' was an American science fiction magazine, edited by Larry T. Shaw, and published by Royal Publications. The first issue, which appeared in November 1955, included Arthur C. Clarke's " The Star", a story about a pl ...

'', which had been launched in 1955. Larry Shaw was the editor for all 12 issues. ''Science Fiction Adventures'' focused on longer fiction than appeared in ''Infinity''; these were often labeled as novels, though they were rarely longer than 20,000 words. Shaw declared in his first editorial that he wanted to bring back a "sense of wonder", and he printed straightforward action-adventure stories. Two other magazines of the period, '' Imagination'' and ''

Imaginative Tales ''Imaginative Tales'' was an American fantasy and science fiction magazine launched in September 1954 by William Hamling's Greenleaf Publishing Company. It was created as a sister magazine to '' Imagination'', which Hamling had acquired from R ...

,'' had similar editorial approaches, but science fiction historian Mike Ashley considers that ''Science Fiction Adventures'' contained the best fiction of the three.

Robert Silverberg Robert Silverberg (born January 15, 1935) is an American author and editor, best known for writing science fiction. He is a multiple winner of both Hugo and Nebula Awards, a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame, and a Gr ...

was a prolific contributor, under his own name and under the pseudonym "Calvin M. Knox", and he also collaborated with

Randall Garrett Gordon Randall Phillip David GarrettGarrett, Randall
in ''

Harlan Ellison,

Cyril M. Kornbluth Cyril M. Kornbluth (July 2, 1923 – March 21, 1958) was an American science fiction author and a member of the Futurians. He used a variety of pen-names, including Cecil Corwin, S. D. Gottesman, Edward J. Bellin, Kenneth Falconer, W ...

Algis Budrys Algirdas Jonas "Algis" Budrys (January 9, 1931 – June 9, 2008) was a Lithuanian-American science fiction author, editor, and critic. He was also known under the pen names Frank Mason, Alger Rome (in collaboration with Jerome Bixby), Jo ...

, and Harry Harrison.

Ed Emshwiller Edmund Alexander Emshwiller (February 16, 1925 – July 27, 1990) was an American visual artist notable for his science fiction illustrations and his pioneering experimental films. He usually signed his illustrations as Emsh but sometimes used E ...

contributed cover art for nine of the twelve issues, and one of the other three was among

John Schoenherr John Carl Schoenherr (July 5, 1935 – April 8, 2010) was an American illustrator. He won the 1988 Caldecott Medal for U.S. children's book illustration, recognizing ''Owl Moon'' by Jane Yolen, which recounts the story of the first time a father ...

's earliest sales. The magazine was canceled because of disappointing sales; the final issue was dated June 1958, and ''Infinity'' only lasted a few months longer. A British reprint edition commenced in early 1958, edited by

John Carnell Edward John Carnell (8 April 1912 – 23 March 1972) was a British science fiction editor known for editing '' New Worlds'' in 1946 then from 1949 to 1963. He also edited ''Science Fantasy'' from the 1950s. After the magazines were sold to anoth ...

; after the American original ceased publication, Carnell kept the magazine going for 32 issues by using reprints from other sources and by printing original material.

Publication history

Science Fiction Adventures cover January 1958

In 1955, Irwin Stein, the owner of Royal Publications, launched two magazines: ''

'' and '' Suspect Detective Stories''. Both were edited by Larry Shaw, and the first issue of each was dated November 1955. Shaw was knowledgeable about science fiction (sf), and put more of his efforts into ''Infinity'', which established itself sufficiently for Stein to continue publication for several years.Ashley (2005), pp. 165–166. ''Suspect'', which published action-adventure crime fiction, was less successful. Sf historian Mike Ashley describes it as having "no personality or individuality", and crime fiction historian Michael Cook finds it "adequate but not outstanding... these were not poor stories. Just more of the same".Cook (1983), pp. 548–550. ''Suspect'''s schedule was intended to be bimonthly, but this began to slip with the third issue, and after five issues Stein decided to scrap ''Suspect'' and start another science fiction title instead. To avoid applying for another second-class mailing permit, which would delay the launch of the new magazine, he simply retitled ''Suspect'' to ''Science Fiction Adventures'' and continued the volume numbering scheme, so that the first issue was volume 1, number 6. This led some readers to believe that the magazine was a revival of the '' Science Fiction Adventures'' edited by

Lester del Rey Lester del Rey (June 2, 1915 – May 10, 1993) was an American science fiction author and editor. He was the author of many books in the juvenile Winston Science Fiction series, and the editor at Del Rey Books, the fantasy and scienc ...

and Harry Harrison for nine issues between 1952 and 1954, but there was no connection. The

US Post Office The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U. ...

decided that this was a new magazine, and not just a title change, and forced Stein to obtain a new mailing permit for ''Science Fiction Adventures'', so Stein abandoned the pretence that it was the same magazine as ''Suspect Detective Stories'', and the second issue became volume 1, number 2. ''SF Adventures'' and ''Infinity'' both began on a bimonthly schedule, which meant that they stayed on newsstands for two months at a time, helping sales. Stein was unwilling to give up this benefit completely so, in 1957, when he decided to increase the magazines' frequency, he put them both on a six-week schedule, but kept the cover date showing a single month. This led to some reader complaints: one wrote in to ''Infinity'' to say "My confusion is hopeless! Go monthly!" In 1958 Stein returned both magazines to a bimonthly schedule. At the World Science Fiction Convention in 1956, when Stein announced the launch of ''SF Adventures'',

, the British editor of ''

New Worlds New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz (South Korean band), The Boyz Albums and EPs * New (album), ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartn ...

'', approached Stein to ask if he could set up a British reprint edition of Stein's magazine. Stein agreed, but it took a year to make the arrangements, so the first issue of the British ''Science Fiction Adventures'' appeared in early 1958. Towards the end of the US ''Science Fiction Adventure'''s run, Stein took two of the long stories that had been bought for ''SF Adventures'' and published them in ''Infinity'' instead, hoping to boost its sales, but Stein gave up on both magazines by the end of 1958. He had decided instead to launch two magazines, ''Monster Parade'' and ''Monsters and Things'', to take advantage of the new interest in horror and science fiction movies. Carnell continued publication of the British version, using reprints from other titles as well as new stories, and eventually produced 32 issues.

In Shaw's editorial in the first issue, he lamented that science fiction was losing a

sense of wonder A sense of wonder (sometimes jokingly written sensawunda) is an intellectual and emotional state frequently invoked in discussions of science and biology, higher consciousness, science fiction, and philosophy. __TOC__ Definitions This entry f ...

, and "

as not As, AS, A. S., A/S or similar may refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * A. S. Byatt (born 1936), English critic, novelist, poet and short story writer * "As" (song), by Stevie Wonder * , a Spanish sports newspaper * , an academic male voic ...

as much fun to read as it used to be". He claimed that by focusing on adventure fiction "carried by a good story", ''Science Fiction Adventures'' would "be an antidote for that situation". Ashley considers that Shaw intended to attract younger readers than ''Infinity'' was aimed at. Shaw's policy of printing longer stories was highlighted on the first issue's cover by a banner proclaiming "3 Complete New Action Novels", though this was misleading as the stories rarely exceeded 20,000 words. The first issue's lead story, "Starcombers", by

Edmond Hamilton Edmond Moore Hamilton (October 21, 1904 – February 1, 1977) was an American writer of science fiction during the mid-twentieth century. Early life Born in Youngstown, Ohio, he was raised there and in nearby New Castle, Pennsylvania. So ...

, was only 15,000 words, and the other two stories, both pseudonymous collaborations by

and

Randall Garrett Gordon Randall Phillip David GarrettGarrett, Randall
in ''

Ashley describes Shaw's editorial policy as "no different to that of '' Imagination'' or ''

''", two sf magazines of the day that focused on action stories, but adds that "''SF Adventures'' contained stronger material". Ashley considers Silverberg's contributions to be among the best work of his early career; it included the "Chalice of Death" series, three stories written as by Calvin M. Knox that appeared in book form as '' Lest We Forget Thee, Earth'' in 1958. Silverberg was by far the most prolific contributor, providing over a quarter of the magazine's contents, often in collaboration with Garrett. Six of Silverberg's early novels first saw print in ''SF Adventures.'' Harlan Ellison appeared regularly, and Shaw also obtained stories from

Cyril Kornbluth Cyril M. Kornbluth (July 2, 1923 – March 21, 1958) was an American science fiction author and a member of the Futurians. He used a variety of pen-names, including Cecil Corwin, S. D. Gottesman, Edward J. Bellin, Kenneth Falconer, ...

, Harry Harrison, and John Brunner. Most of the cover art was supplied by

; of the three covers he did not paint, one was an early effort by

.Weinberg (1988b), pp. 239–241.

Bibliographical details

The editor for all twelve issues was Larry Shaw, and the publisher was Royal Publications of New York. There were two volumes, each of six numbers; the first issue, dated December 1956, was numbered volume 1 number 6 because of Stein's attempt to make the magazine a continuation of ''Suspect Detective Stories'', but thereafter the numbering was completely regular. The last issue was dated June 1958. Each issue was 128 pages and was priced at 35 cents.Ashley (1985a), pp. 524–526.

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References

* * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Science Fantasy (Magazine) Science fiction digests Magazines established in 1956 Magazines disestablished in 1958 Science fiction magazines established in the 1950s Defunct science fiction magazines published in the United States

Publication history

Contents

Bibliographical details

Notes

Footnotes

References